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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Professional Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corrie Eggimann Jan 2023

Professional Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Corrie Eggimann

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In the early spring of 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)1 pandemic spread across the planet, causing a scale of infection and fatalities that was unprecedented in modern times, and that was not well predicted by scientists, public health officials and government entities. Despite travel bans and quarantine requirements popping up across the globe, COVID-19 infections continued to spread. As of February 2023, more than 6.8 million people have died from COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2023). In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the growing number of deaths, schools and businesses began closing down throughout the world …


Conflict Communication In Law Enforcement, Don Zheng Jan 2021

Conflict Communication In Law Enforcement, Don Zheng

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This paper will focus on addressing conflict communication in law enforcement and what literature are available and the gaps within them. Conflict communication can range from the way's words are used, what words are used, and when those words are used when police officers interact with the public. Due to the lack of extensive research done within communication studies and law enforcement, this paper aims to aid in getting future research studies done within the professions. Conflict communication within law enforcement is a topic that should be talked about more to possibly lower the number of instances where physical and/or …


The Relationship Between Organizations' Response To Customer Complaints, Customer Trust, And Loyalty, Abimbola Ajibola Jan 2021

The Relationship Between Organizations' Response To Customer Complaints, Customer Trust, And Loyalty, Abimbola Ajibola

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between organizations’ responses to customer complaints and their effects on customer loyalty and trust. Four hypotheses were established for this study to help us gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of the responses to customer complaints and their relationship with trust and loyalty. Five independent variables (apology, timeliness, explanation, compensation, and dialogue/active listening) and two dependent variables (trust and brand loyalty) were used to test the hypotheses. An online survey was conducted through Qualtrics and data were collected from participants who were students at a Midwestern University. Facebook …


All Good And Well?: The State Of Forensic Health And Wellness Scholarship, Carson S. Kay Jul 2018

All Good And Well?: The State Of Forensic Health And Wellness Scholarship, Carson S. Kay

Speaker & Gavel

Forensic educators and students face many competitive challenges while vying for trophies and titles. However, maintaining one’s health while preparing, traveling, and competing too often falls by the wayside. Although scholars have examined the health of forensic educators and students in the past, few current research agendas address the health concerns of the forensic community. With the exception of Carmack (2016) and her collaboration with Holm (2005, 2013, 2015), forensic scholars have not actively discussed how the activity affects student and educator wellbeing since 2004. Questions still remain regarding how the speech and debate community might feasibly promote a healthy …


Enterprise Content Management In Technical Communication, Kristen Bledsoe-Fritz Jan 2018

Enterprise Content Management In Technical Communication, Kristen Bledsoe-Fritz

Technical Communication Capstone Course

The goal of this project is to examine how the evolution of Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is helping to shape the role of Technical Communicator. Technical communicators are often at the forefront of Enterprise Content Management, as their job involves the creation, utilization, and distribution of most corporate content. The research conducted for this project examines the impact that Enterprise Content Management, influenced by evolving technology, has had on the expectation associated with the skillset of a technical communicator. Additionally, how technical communicators can grow and expand their skillset to serve as leaders in an ever-evolving industry is explored.


Empathy And Campus Sexual Assault (Csa) Communication: Protecting The Wellbeing And Social Equity Of College Women, Kathleen Romero Jan 2018

Empathy And Campus Sexual Assault (Csa) Communication: Protecting The Wellbeing And Social Equity Of College Women, Kathleen Romero

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

A review of empathy and campus sexual assault communication has implications for technical communication research. Campus sexual assault is a social problem, and consequently college campuses are legally required to publish and disseminate sexual assault communication (i.e. policies, procedures, and training) to eliminate the behavior. Empathy is significant to campus sexual assault communication, given not only the emotional nature of the topic, but also the technical information to be communicated effectively and appropriately. Given the dearth of research on empathy and campus sexual assault communication, this expansive review of the literature establishes the need for technical communication research on empathy …


When Men Are Sexually Harassed: A Foundation For Studying Men’S Experiences As Targets Of Sexual Harassment, Leland Spencer, Joshua Trey Barnett Jan 2016

When Men Are Sexually Harassed: A Foundation For Studying Men’S Experiences As Targets Of Sexual Harassment, Leland Spencer, Joshua Trey Barnett

Speaker & Gavel

While much scholarly attention has been given to sexual harassment, scholarship about men’s experiences as targets of sexual harassment has been limited. This essay is a review of the literature about men’s experiences of sexual harassment; it explores the operational definitions and sources of sexual harassment, the inadequacy of the instruments used to study sexual harassment, and the implications of this research for organizations and the field of communication studies. It also examines sexual harassment at the intersections of gender and sexual orientation, finding that there are apparent differences in incidences that feature diversity in these areas. This review concludes …


‘I Don’T Want To Become A Rules Cop’: An Organizational Culture And Leadership Discourse Analysis Of The Npda As A Failed Organization, Audra R. Diers Jan 2016

‘I Don’T Want To Become A Rules Cop’: An Organizational Culture And Leadership Discourse Analysis Of The Npda As A Failed Organization, Audra R. Diers

Speaker & Gavel

On March 23, 2010 Dr. Robert Trapp, former President of the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA), posted a message to the parli listserve (parli-l) suggesting the final round of the national tournament lacked the sub-stance and nuance that the community should see in debate. Trapp’s post reflects a larger issue in the NPDA—the emergent divide and disparate organizational cultures emerging over the organization’s short lifetime. This paper investigates the often discussed, but still under-developed relationship between leadership and culture in mission-based organizations by analyzing the discourse of cultural leadership in the NPDA from 1994 to 1999. Findings suggest that the …


Organizational Identification Strategies Of A Low Face-To-Face Member-Contact Organization, Deepa Oommen Jan 2016

Organizational Identification Strategies Of A Low Face-To-Face Member-Contact Organization, Deepa Oommen

Speaker & Gavel

This study looked at the identification seeking strategies of a low face-to-face member-contact organization, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. I used thematic analysis to identify the strategies that the organization used to seek the identification of its members. Findings of the study showed that by emphasizing membership as an exclusive privilege, recognizing the individual as a symbol of excellence, celebrating member achievements, inviting member contributions, emphasizing commitment to diversity, emphasizing organizational symbolism and highlighting testimonials of appreciation, the organization tried to seek the identification of its members. In many of the above-mentioned strategies, the overarching theme of elitism …


(Re)Building A Team Culture, Todd T. Holm Dec 2015

(Re)Building A Team Culture, Todd T. Holm

Speaker & Gavel

The purpose of this article is to provide a director of forensics who wishes to rebuild a forensics program with advice, ideas, and guidance based on organiza-tional theory, organizational change research, and lived experience. This article approaches organizational culture as a dynamic construct of an organization. “Proponents of the perspective of culture as a dynamic construct are interested in both a better understanding of organizations through application of a cultural per-spective and a conscious development of organizational culture” (Sackmann, 1990, p. 133). This perspective treats culture as something an organization is and something an organization has. The shaping of forensics …


Constructing Space And Time For Work And Family: A Structuration Perspective On Bed And Breakfasts, Jennifer A. Butler, Daniel P. Modaff Nov 2015

Constructing Space And Time For Work And Family: A Structuration Perspective On Bed And Breakfasts, Jennifer A. Butler, Daniel P. Modaff

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This qualitative study explored how bed and breakfast owners communicatively construct privacy while operating a business out of their personal home. One hundred eighty-two B&B owners from 20 U.S. states and 20 countries responded to an electronic qualitative questionnaire that, in part, explored the issue of privacy. Three themes emerged from the data, including: traditional organizational structures, perception of availability, and banking of time and space. These themes revealed that the owners of the nontraditional businesses relied upon recognizable organizational structures used in more traditional organizations to create and maintain private space and time. They also engaged in communication with …


Mission Statement Creation And Dissemination In Service Organizations: Reaching All Employees To Provide Unified Organizational Direction, Julie L.G. Walker Nov 2015

Mission Statement Creation And Dissemination In Service Organizations: Reaching All Employees To Provide Unified Organizational Direction, Julie L.G. Walker

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Scholars extol the virtues of crafting effective mission statements and the importance of its frequent communication. Especially in nonprofit business settings, mission statements can be an important way to provide goals and purpose for an organization’s staff. Creating and conveying mission statements to unify a staff whose tasks span a broad range is a difficult but important part of visionary leadership. This study explored mission statement dissemination at a university to understand its impact on staff whose tasks included limited academic work with students. Analysis of questionnaires found nonacademic staff members were not exposed to the mission statement often and …


Connecting To Students: Self-Disclosure As A Motivational Tool For Collegiate Forensic Coaches, Ben Walker Nov 2015

Connecting To Students: Self-Disclosure As A Motivational Tool For Collegiate Forensic Coaches, Ben Walker

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Forensic coaches spend a large amount of time with their students and often struggle to find effective methods of motivation; however, studies have shown that teachers (Christophel, 1990) and athletic coaches (Turman, 2008) can use immediacy as a way to increase student/competitor motivation. This paper examines how forensic coaches can use a specific interpersonal tactic (self-disclosure) to potentially increase student motivation. The review of literature covers self-disclosure and the link between immediacy and motivation in both educational and competitive settings; next, Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management theory is contextualized with forensic coaches; finally, suggestions are offered to forensic coaches who wish …


The Influence Of Setting On Supreme Court Religious Expression Decisions, Joseph J. Hemmer Jr. Nov 2015

The Influence Of Setting On Supreme Court Religious Expression Decisions, Joseph J. Hemmer Jr.

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The First Amendment prohibits any establishment of religion, a dicta that has been applied in an apparently inconsistent manner by the Supreme Court when called upon to evaluate various forms of verbal and nonverbal religious communication. Court decisions have approved religious prayers and displays in government settings. When such exercises and displays were introduced to the public school academic setting, the Court chose to disallow the practice. An examination of judicial opinions reveals that justices recognize three factors inherent to the academic setting which justify the apparently contradictory decisions. Because of the captive nature of the audience, the presence of …


Msu Students' Use Of The Msu Web Site, Kristin Ruder Aug 2014

Msu Students' Use Of The Msu Web Site, Kristin Ruder

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

As part of ongoing usability studies of the MSU Web site, survey data was collected from convenience samples of MSU students to evaluate their self-assessed expertise using the Internet as well as their use of and satisfaction with the MSU Web site.


Personal Electronic Device Use In Face-To-Face Organizational Meetings: How It Is Perceived And The Factors Influencing Perceptions, Kimber Goodwin Jan 2014

Personal Electronic Device Use In Face-To-Face Organizational Meetings: How It Is Perceived And The Factors Influencing Perceptions, Kimber Goodwin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The use of personal electronic devices by professionals can both increase efficiency and create distractions. Because of this dichotomy, perceptions of the use of personal electronic devices in meetings may be divided. The purpose of this study is to determine how personal electronic device use in face-to-face organizational meetings is perceived, how perceptions are changing over time, which factor has the greatest influence on perceptions, and how this influential factor shapes and guides perceptions. In order to make these determinations, a two-phase study is conducted. In phase one, a content analysis of comments left in response to articles and blogs …


Sibley County Children’S Collaborative – Supporting Child Welfare Through Collaboration, Jade Blekestad-Kral Jan 2014

Sibley County Children’S Collaborative – Supporting Child Welfare Through Collaboration, Jade Blekestad-Kral

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Sibley County Children’s Collaborative meets the definition as a collaborative “organizational and interorganizational structure(s) where resources, power, and authority are shared and where people are brought together to achieve common goals that could not be accomplished by a single individual or organization independently” (Daka-Mulwanda, Thornburg, Filbert, & Klein, 1995, p. 219). Its functioning depends on members working together, sharing their time, skills, resources and the common goal of providing community support for children and families in Sibley County. However, effective collaboration does not come easily. In fact much of the literature regarding collaboration suggests that while collaboration is the …